Baby Plates, Spoons and Cups

Baby Plates, Spoons And Cups – What You Need To Wean

It’s time to lock away the fine china and silver and get some baby plates, spoons and cups, ready for the next stage of feeding your little one. Weaning baby from milk to solids can be a fun and messy part of their development, as long as you take things gently and gradually. There are no hard and fast rules for weaning baby, when your child is ready they will eat.

Essential equipment for feeding your baby

The following list of equipment will help you transition from milk to food with a minimum of fuss:-

• Baby safe plates and bowls need to be plastic, preferably with non-slip bases. When your baby tries to start feeding themselves this will help stop the food ending up on the floor.

• A sturdy high chair with a strong harness to keep your baby safely in place. Always use the tray table for placing food on so that your baby learns to associate a ‘table’ with eating food.

• Baby spoons must be soft and gentle, so as not to hurt delicate baby gums. They can be made of rubber or silicone and with soft flexible handles is best.

• Sippy cups with a stop flow valve will help stops spills unless your baby is actually drinking will help stop spills and should be used for all drinks other than milk, and can eventually be used for milk as well.

• Bibs to protect clothing for dribbles and drops.

• Wet wipes or damp face washers, so you can clean as you go.

• A protective mat for under the high chair, that can be wiped when finished can protect your floor and allow for easier cleaning after each meal.

Food preparation tools for making baby meals

There is now a huge range of ready made baby food products available in the supermarket that need nothing more than a spoon for serving. These types of foods are fabulous for convenience, especially if you are away from home. The downside is that they are not very healthy for the family budget. Preparing your baby’s food is easy and very cost effective. You also then have complete control over what your baby is eating. The following tools will make food preparation quick and easy.

• A steamer or microwave safe container to cook the food. Where possible it is better to use these methods for cooking as boiling food can dramatically reduce the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables.

• A blender or wand blender to puree the cooked food.

• Ice cube trays to freezer left overs in suitable sized portions.

• Small sealed containers or snap lock bags for storing foods in the fridge.

• Sealable containers or pouches to keep food hygienic and safe when you are out and about.

Moving from milk to solids

Your health care nurse or doctor will help you decide when it is time to start introducing solids. Start with one food at a time for at least 2 weeks before adding something new. This way you will discover if baby has any reactions to the new food. As your baby grows and learns how to eat easily you can start to replace milk feeds, by offering food first and then milk. Eventually weaning milk from that meal altogether. Your baby will then be able to be part of meal times, enjoying your company and good food.

Don’t compare your baby to all the others. Your baby will eventually catch on and master the skills needed to make solids the main part of their diet, at the perfect time for them. So stock up on baby plates, spoons and cups, let the fun begin and enjoy this special time together.